Readers of the Montreal Gazette will likely notice András Göllner’s column in this morning’s paper. The founder of the Canadian Hungarian Democratic Charter explores Pope Francis’ approach to compassion, diversity and inclusion, contrasting this with authoritarian political leaders, most notably Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Prof. Göllner’s piece is worth a read and most certainly worth sharing here in the HFP.

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Last week’s visit to the United States by the spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church once again demonstrated the enormous power of faith as an instrument of healing and spiritual renewal.

A man of simple origins, speaking in a soft voice, and with a humbleness that stands in stark contrast to the behaviour of many of our political leaders here and abroad, Pope Francis delivered a powerful and consistent message. He reminded us that the edifice of civilization must be built on the principles of social justice and compassion. In a world increasingly torn apart by hatred and violence between conflicting groups and beliefs, he showed us how to embrace diversity and turn it into a force that can liberate humanity from its self-destructive ways.

Pope Francis. Photo: Benhur Arcayan.

Whether in front of world leaders at the United Nations, at the joint session of the U.S. Congress or in Philadelphia, before thousands of ordinary Americans, the Pope gave a ringing endorsement of diversity and multiculturalism. He chastised those leaders who hinder their followers from freely evaluating the validity claims of competing ideas, be they religious or political in nature. Instead of lecturing atheists, he embraced them and asked them to pray for him.

His stance stands in stark contrast to such worldly rulers as Vladimir Putin of Russia, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, and all the corrupt autocrats and religious zealots in the Middle East, North Africa and around the world, who are using patriotism, national unity, religion or the most recent refugee crisis, to undermine the rule of law, justice and respect for human dignity.

Instead of fomenting hatred against illegal immigrants — the favourite pastime of such people as Donald Trump or Orbán – the Pope called for compassion, and a spirit of helpfulness toward victims of religious and political intolerance.

Instead of looking upon immigrants as threats to our national, cultural and religious identities, he called for a different mindset. He reminded his listeners of the incredible contribution different faiths, cultures, ethnicities made to Europe and the Americas over the centuries. He called upon us to look at immigrants not as disruptive and destructive elements but as people who can enrich, sustain and energize our decaying societies.

The Pope used his moment in the limelight to remind us of the values that are at the core of European and global Christianity: Love and compassion for our neighbours, for the exploited and those who sufferer from various injustices in their own lands.

But the most resonant part of his message was the encouragement he gave to those who are the targets of the rising anti-immigrant wave spreading across Europe and America.

He encouraged America’s immigrant community to embrace their difference, to be proud of themselves and to lift up their heads and feel the grace of the Lord in their souls.

It was the Pope’s personal connection with all the immigrants of the world wherever they may be — in the orchards of California, on the high seas in a raft, half way up Orbán’s razor-tipped fence, in the camps of Turkey — that really resonated.

He has heard the cries of the exploited and marginalized. It’s high time our own political leaders listen up as well. The global refugee crisis, and the problems that set it into motion deserves global attention. It cannot be left to petty tyrants to use as a means of enhancing their power and personal affluence.

Author: András Göllner
A dual Canadian-Hungarian citizen, András B. Göllner is one of the Founders, and International Spokesperson, of the Canadian Hungarian Democratic Charter. With a Ph.D in political economy from the London School of Economics and higher degrees in International Relations from Carleton University and Université de Montreal, András B. Göllner is a respected international scholar on Democratic Governance, Political Communications and on a broad range of business and society issues. He is an Emeritus Associate Professor at Montreal’s Concordia University and the author of a number of well known books and articles on business, politics and international affairs including Social Change and Corporate Strategy. Stamford:IAP, 1983; Public Affairs in Canada. Montreal: IRPP. 1984; and Canada Under Mulroney (ed. with D. Salee), Montreal: Véhicule Press, 1988.
He is a frequent speaker at international conferences on both sides of the Atlantic. Following the collapse of communism in Hungary, Dr Göllner played an important role in the broadening of democratic processes in the country of his origin. He coordinated Hungary’s first communications strategy for EU accession, and worked as a strategic communications advisor for various democratically elected governments over the past twenty years in Hungary. He lives in Montreal.

21 Comments

I really don’t believe Orban ‘has’ religion. He uses religion – or more correctly – Christianity – for his own ends.

He never had religion.

Hungary’s bishops preserve their financial positions as the conscience of the people – some conscience – and the Roman Catholic church would never overturn the money lender’s tables in the nave. They are too busy taking Orban’s shilling.

And the Bishop’s leader has told the Very Reverend that he is wrong regarding the refugees.

You say Orban marches to a different drumbeat – but his government believes a different truth.

As truth should only have one master – the inference is a different reality – lies.

Here Peter Szijjarto is responding to a different truth: when presented with some uncomfortable facts he claims “It’s not fair” (three times I think); he wriggles and evades Stephen Sackur constantly in an extraordinary blustering interview for 30 minutes:

Allegedly due to Orban’s behaviour and treatment of the refugees – and, no doubt, of the Hungarian Cardinals and bishop’s shocking neglect of compassion.

However the Pope’s alleged meeting with Kim Davis in America recently – she of the religious bigotry who refused to licence gay marriage, when it was her duty to do so (why didn’t she just resign?) – lost the Pope an enormous amount of goodwill.

But then again he may just be regressing back to the usual conservative papal pious position.

Francis hails from the Latin American tradition of liberation theology and from the heritage of people like American Catholic activist Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement. For calculating political goons like Orban, Francis and confident women like Day are just dirty commies.

There are no refugees, there are no migrants. It’s a lie! What we see is the occupation of Europe by the Islam. That is the TRUTH.

Prime minister Viktor Orban is the only one who realised this, and tries to defend his country, his culture, his religion, but this seems to be a “Mission Impossible”, because the crazy, suicidal EU attacks him in the back.

Do you know history? In the XVI.-XVII. century Turks occupied Hungary and tried to occupy all of Europe. Islam and Christiandom will not ever fit.

And I am the one just wondering after 9/11! Everybody feared of the Islam terrorism! There are hard controlls on the airports, etc. And now… oh, they are refugees, oh poor poor refugees…

They come illegally across the “green border” and not the crossing points. Once it was a casus belli… But now? Never mind! Let us feed them. Let us love them. Let us kiss them! If you say it is normal then you are a man form the Moon.

What would Jesus have done in his time? According to Scripture, would he have clothed them, fed them and helped them?

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:34-46)

“He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14)

So why are wars everywhere? Why does not people help each other all around the world?

Why is there a huge fence between the US and Mexico? Poor mexican refugees…

Sorry, it is pharisaic to refer to Jesus in this case.

Tell me please, if the christian Canada or the christian US would face millions – I say: millions – of muslims streaming to their country for a better life… and they would go on and on not caring about the coast-guard about borders, fences – anything. They would occupy trains, buses, railway stations, walk on the speedways not caring about the traffic. Leaving rubbish and tons of shit behind them. If millions of “refugees” would behave themselves as if Canada or the US were their own homeland (with their own law and order!)… what would you do?

By the way! Why do not you invite them in the name of Jesus? Why do not you set an exapmle to the hateful european – mainly hungarian – christians? Speaking is easy.

Viktor Orban is saving hungary and europe from evil Caliph mutti angela merkel- Caliph angela merkel is deliberately bent on creating a Europe wide Caliphate- she is the most evil politician of modern times

Orban cannot save either Europe or Hungary. He is too small for that. He might fight for a short time but unless he can trigger an avalanche he will lose the game. Ha has a very slight chance for that, though.

The hidden power, that many simply call the Satan, who actually rules this planet has grown strong enough to do it on his own and will not need his slave politician, the press and mass media any more and will come to rule the world on his own revealing himself. The first thing he will do is to destroy his slave servants as he cannot be bothered paying and rewarding them any more. That will be the first step. Then to destroy or disable the human race.

Our chances are fading however we still have. Not mentioning that we might get help. Who knows. Reality is stranger than fiction.

Pre-WWII Hungary must have been a “Powder-keg” of war, with its various North / South / East Slavic, Germanic, Semitic and Turkic ties… Though some cultures value divisiveness, blaming “diversity” is simply a load of bull$hit. Research what happens with mono-cropping, and you will know this much.

History shows the cause of war is ego-driven thinking. It starts with wealthy old men, who lost the cognitive capacity of diplomatic discourse, putting their own selfish interests above the peoples and political realms they govern. “Diversity” is simply used as an excuse to pit people against each other. In war, look at who really wins (commercial / imperial interests) and who really loses (people), and we clearly see “diversity” has little to do with it.

War is the result of infighting between spoiled political tyrants looking to maximizing financial & power interests – these are people who do not trust anyone or anything. These tyrants understand citizens to be disposable pawns in a sick game, where suspicion, contempt, and destruction is the accepted cost of playing. The rules of the game state that seeking peace and love are to be dismissed as “idealism” or “utopianism”.

History is rich with stories of victors, who twist history to keep people from realizing what’s going on. And unfortunately, artists avoid exposing the con of war, out of fear of being branded “subversive”, “pessimistic” or “troublemakers”. The example of Solzhenitsyn comes to mind.

In a cruel manner, these tyrants reap exactly what they sow – a $hitty world conceptualized as a zero-sum game, where “winning” means you are not dead AND you are materially “ahead” of others who are not dead. “Winners” cannot take anything for granted, as they must always be suspicious of those they are “ahead” of, as those worse off probably want to kill them, and take their stuff.

This is the thinking that has caused all wars. It’s Machiavellian. (However, the assumption that this thinking is innate to human nature does not account for spiritual seekers or people who don’t engage politics.)

The current global culture seems very much to be fueled by this pathological thinking, which victimized many peoples through human history. One wonders what history is worth, while we continually bounce within the same paradigm from the times of antiquity. Technology may have advanced, but humans have not.

Pal
Diversity tears a country apart from within. When a country is diverse the people of all races are more likely to do things to benefit themselves instead of their country. Example, muslims are raping Europe even though they have been offered a chance at a better life, they are in it for “what they can get”therefore it causes problems, some people like the muslims and some think the problems that comes with them is not worth it so now there is division.

First diversity hits home, your children show the first signs of damage from diversity. The schools are loaded with third worlders that don’t care for the native children or their family values as this rubs off on your children the home life begins to crumble. The muslims will put what they want first before they put the European country first now the people of that country lose their pride and respect for their leaders and are not as patriotic as they once were “why serve my country when they give it to others that don’t deserve it” at the same time the muslims have no love for the country because it’s not their mother land or their people, the country has now entered a downward slide, and the muslims could care less because after all they don’t care for the customs, cultures or the people.

You will find this in any country,state or city that has more than one race, all races for the most part will seek out others like themselves(their own race and or religion)to associate with. Multiculturalism is a failure just look at all of the problems where this failed program has been pushed, England, France,Sweden and the list goes on. Diversity makes a weak fragmented society and a homogeneous society is and always will be stronger and safer for the people.

I admit, my heart goes out to the Syrian and Afghani refugees exclusively. These are peoples who are destitute and really need the help. “Diversity” with these folks is not an issue in my experience, as they seem to very much appreciate European culture and customs, and want to become Europeans who respect and integrate into their new lands.

The real issue is the tidal wave of “migrants” – the crisis extends beyond “refugees”, because migrants from all over the place are indeed taking advantage of the Syrian situation. Even the BBC is very clear on this point:

“A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term ‘migrant’ to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted ‘refugee status’, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are ‘economic migrants’.”

I take issue with these “economic migrants”, as they do meet the criteria of refugee status. Indeed, they do not respect the rule of law, and are using a serious crisis as a sneaky means to try to benefit themselves at Europe’s expense, as many throw away their documentation, and in some cases lie about their professional qualifications and origins. In Europe, where honesty and procedure are strongly valued cultural virtues, this kind of behavior is obviously cause for severe mistrust, and gives fuel to Orbán’s rhetoric.
It looks like Europe as a whole is getting fed up with the “Get into Europe Free”-attitude that has swept many disadvantaged regions, as Germany’s Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere is making repeated calls to limit the number of refugees coming into Europe. Looking at the numbers of people moving, I cannot blame him.

I cannot imagine the United States or Canada – which are basically countries composed of immigrants – tolerating undocumented migrants to the extent that Europe has. “Diversity” isn’t something North Americans fear. However, deceit about identity, and contempt for rule of law are things that would be met with deportation.

Trust is a two-way street. If these people expect the benefits of new life-prospects, they damn well better learn to play by the rules.

Orban today build fences, advertises in Arab newspapers, lunches billboard campaign of hatred, and fights tooth and nail for Christianity and against the Muslim migrants but if his personal career and his fight for power or personal security requires he will become the number one advocate of the Islam and will allow millions of them int Hungary in no time.